Tag Archives: National Farm Union

The CAPE: co-operating for local and ecological agriculture in Quebec

Posted by Virginie Lavallée-Picard on May 07, 2014

It was like summer camp for farmers, except it felt like winter and the food was better. The big barn-style building was jam-packed with about a hundred farmers, most of them in their early thirties or younger, absorbed in an in-depth workshop on greenhouse production of tomatoes and cucumbers. The previous day, an afternoon tour of a local farm had led to a massive potluck dinner and a late night brainstorming session on preferred vegetable varieties. This was my first CAPÉ annual fall meeting, and I can assure you it will not be the last. In French, CAPÉ stands for … Continue reading The CAPE: co-operating for local and ecological agriculture in Quebec →

Reinstating Soil as Alberta’s First Natural Resource

Posted by Blake Hall on March 28, 2014 2 Comments

Blake Hall is herdsman for Prairie Gold Pastured Meats and runs a unique herdshare program which direct markets grass-finished beef and pastured pork into Red Deer and Calgary, AB. Blake recently attended the National Farm Union‘s Youth Retreat in Nanoose Bay on Vancouver Island (BC) where he rocked out with us at the Young Agrarians Vancouver Island Mixer and we lassoed him into blogging.        The short grass prairie on the eastern slopes of the Rocky Mountain Range is Alberta’s first natural resource.  The great plains supported vast numbers of bison and sustained the First Nations for millennia.  Sixty years … Continue reading Reinstating Soil as Alberta’s First Natural Resource →

International Day of Peasants’ Struggles – NFU Youth

Posted by Sara Dent on April 17, 2013

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:                                                                                                                                       April 17, 2013 Today, the NFU joins its’ sister organization La Via Campesina- the international movement of small farmers- to commemorate the 1996 massacre of 19 landless Brazilian farmers who were demanding access to land and justice. “We honor their sacrifice by relentlessly continuing our work to reclaim food systems from global corporations seeking to control food and farmers,” says Cammie Harbottle, NFU Youth President. In Canada, the assault on farm livelihoods and family farms is the result of economic measures rather than physical violence, according to Harbottle. “With less than eight percent of Canadian farmers under … Continue reading International Day of Peasants’ Struggles – NFU Youth →

The NFU and The Nouveau Youth of Canadian Agriculture

Posted by Alex on January 08, 2013 1 Comment

A few years ago my partner and I started a small market garden, Wind Whipped Farm, on Southern Vancouver Island. Like many new farmers, we didn’t come from farming backgrounds, didn’t have much money and had only a few years experience working on a farm. Critically, we had support from other farmers in our community who shared their time, knowledge, equipment, and manure.  They helped us get started and encouraged us to keep going.  Our experience made us realize how crucial it is to be part of a community of farmers: to learn from each other, to help each other … Continue reading The NFU and The Nouveau Youth of Canadian Agriculture →